31st October, Singapore - Singapore
Fashion Designers Contest (SFDC) is a nationwide search for
Singapore's young and talented fashion designers. Over the
years, the contest has been an important platform to launch the
career of up-andcoming fashion designers. Many of the finalists
and winners of SFDC have either successfully established their
own retail labels or are in a fashionrelated business: Leslie
Chia (1992 winner now designing under PIMABS); Jonathan Seow
(1997) designs under the label Woods & Woods; K.Mi Huang (2001)
designs under the label Womb and Madeleine Wong (2003), one half
of the design label, Posse.

For Singapore Fashion Week 2006, a total of thirty-six (36)
entries were received, mainly from the four local schools that
offer fashion design, namely LASALLE - SIA College of The Arts,
Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Raffles Design Institute and
Temasek Polytechnic School of Design. The adjudicating panel is
headed by SFDC chairperson Mrs Celia Loe, and is joined by
Messers Milton Tan of DesignSingapore Council, Clement Kok of
Takashimaya Singapore, Grace Lee, editor-in-chief of Nuyou
magazine, Maya Furuie of Isetan Singapore and designer Peter Kor,
for interviews and assessments.

Of the short-listed eight candidates, the judges said, "We were
extremely pleased to see the high standards in this year's SFDC.
Our young and aspiring designers show much gumption in their
work and even as their talent is raw now, it shows much promise
and is generally of a high standard. Competitive shows like this
are always interesting as they are infused with much
self-expression, showing the individual streaks of creativity of
each designer. Internationally, a couple of them can make the
grade as outstanding designers if they are given the right
experience and exposure. As an adjudicating panel, we have seen
only coloured sketches and fabric swatches. We are looking
forward to the many surprises that are likely to develop during
the contest itself."

These finalists presented twelve outfits each based on their
respective ideas and inspirations.